U.S. patent number 7,653,398 [Application Number 11/252,726] was granted by the patent office on 2010-01-26 for geographical network initiated wireless device feature control.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Research in Motion Limited. Invention is credited to Nicholas Alfano, Adrian Buckley, Luis Estable, Khaled Islam, Trevor Plestid.
United States Patent |
7,653,398 |
Buckley , et al. |
January 26, 2010 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Geographical network initiated wireless device feature control
Abstract
A method, apparatus and system for applying feature controls to
features on a wireless device while the mobile is in a geographic
area is provided. The wireless device receives instructions from a
wireless network indicating which feature controls to apply. The
wireless device determines that its position is within the
geographic area and applies the feature controls.
Inventors: |
Buckley; Adrian (Tracy, CA),
Islam; Khaled (Ottawa, CA), Alfano; Nicholas
(Stratford-Upon-Avon, GB), Estable; Luis (Ottawa,
CA), Plestid; Trevor (Ottawa, CA) |
Assignee: |
Research in Motion Limited
(Waterloo, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
37948773 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/252,726 |
Filed: |
October 19, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20070087764 A1 |
Apr 19, 2007 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/456.1;
455/419 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W
28/18 (20130101); H04M 1/72457 (20210101); H04W
64/00 (20130101); H04W 48/16 (20130101); H04W
4/02 (20130101); H04M 2250/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04W
24/00 (20090101); H04M 3/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;455/456.1,456.4,456.3,418,419,432.3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Eng; George
Assistant Examiner: Faragalla; Michael
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Moffat & Co.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A method for geographical feature control in a wireless device
operating in a wireless network, the wireless device having one or
more controllable features, the method comprising at the wireless
device: receiving a configuration message on a control or beacon
channel, said configuration message including an indication that
feature controls apply; responsive to the receiving, requesting
feature control information from the wireless network, and
acquiring the requested feature control information from the
wireless network for each feature to which feature control is to be
applied; determining, that the wireless device is in a geographic
area as specified in the feature control information; and applying
a feature control, based on acquired feature control information to
a feature on the wireless device.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network is a WAN
(Wide Area Network).
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising: the wireless device
obtaining a feature control configuration sequence number from the
wireless network; and the wireless device storing the configuration
sequence number in a memory on the wireless device.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the wireless device
periodically determining the current location of The wireless
device and turning off the feature control if the wireless device
leaves the geographic area.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises the
wireless device obtaining a current position from a (GPS (Global
Positioning System).
6. The method of claim 1, wherein The determining comprises the
wireless device obtaining a current position by AFLT (Advanced
Forward Link Trilateration).
7. The method of claim 1, wherein The acquiring step includes
receiving bounding boxes for regions where feature controls are to
be turned on and regions where feature controls are to be turned
off.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the acquiring step further
comprises: creating an error region for the wireless device;
retrieving a bounding box for a region in which feature controls
are to be implemented; and performing a comparison to determine
whether the error region intersects with the bounding box in which
a feature is to be turned off.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network is a wireless
LAN (Local Area Network).
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the acquiring is implemented
during initialisation of the wireless device.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the acquiring comprises receiving
a list of wireless LANs (Local Area Networks) to which the wireless
device is permitted to connect.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the list of wireless LANs
contains data regarding feature controls allowed for each wireless
LAN.
13. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the acquiring comprises
receiving account information, said account information comprising
a list of LANs (Local Area Networks) to which the wireless device
is permitted to connect.
14. A wireless device configured to implement the method of claims
1.
15. A computer readable medium with computer readable instructions
thereon for causing a wireless device to implement the method of
claim 1.
16. A system comprising: a wireless network defining a geographic
area, said wireless network configured to send a configuration
message to a wireless device over a control or beacon channel, the
configuration message including an indication that feature controls
apply in the wireless network; and the wireless device configured:
to determine that the wireless device is in the wireless network,
to receive the configuration message from the wireless network over
the control or beacon channel said configuration message including
an indication that feature controls apply, responsive to the
indication, to acquire feature control information from the
wireless network infrastructure, and to apply the feature control
from the acquired feature control information to a feature.
17. A system comprising: a wireless network configured to send a
configuration message to a wireless device over a control or beacon
channel, the configuration message indicating that feature controls
apply; and the wireless device configured: to receive the
configuration message from the wireless network, responsive to the
indication; to request feature control information from the
wireless network, to acquire, the requested feature control
information from the wireless network infrastructure, to determine
that the wireless device is within a geographic area defined by the
feature control information, and to apply the feature control to a
feature.
18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a PDE (Position
Determining Entity) as a component of the wireless network, said
PDE configured to determine the position of the wireless device,
wherein said wireless device communicates with said PDE to obtain
the position of the wireless device.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein said PDE communicates with a GPS
(Global Positioning System) satellite to determine the position of
the wireless device.
20. The system of claim 18 wherein said wireless device is GPS
(Global Positioning System) capable and determines that the
wireless device is within the geographic area by obtaining a
current position from a GPS satellite.
21. The system of claim 18 wherein said wireless network defines
geographic areas as bounding boxes for feature control, and wherein
said wireless device includes an error region for a location for
the wireless device, said wireless device determining whether said
error region intersects a bounding box for feature control.
22. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring step is performed
over an IP connection or over a Short Message Service or a
proprietary protocol.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The patent application relates generally to control by a wireless
network of wireless device features in geographical locations.
BACKGROUND
Wireless devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital
assistants (PDAs), today have many features. Examples of some
features include cameras, real time video, ringer adjustment,
sms/mms, data and/or voice generalized communication, and
capability to turn of various modes of device communication such as
cellular air interface/lrDA/Bluetooth/USB etc . Certain facilities
(e.g. business/government/private), may attempt to control the
usage of these features by asking users to turn off the devices, or
installing hardware that can control the features while the
wireless device is within the geographical area under the control
of the establishment.
Existing systems require hardware, such as a local transmitter or a
Bluetooth beacon, to be physically located at the site where the
features of the wireless device are to be disabled. The wireless
device also requires additional hardware and/or software to
interface to the on-site additional hardware in order to receive
the control information to disable a feature on the wireless
device.
For example, the Safe Haven.TM. product combines hardware
transmitters with a small piece of control software loaded into a
camera phone handset. When the handset is taken into a room or
building containing the Safe Haven.TM. hardware, the phone is
instructed to deactivate the imaging systems. The systems are
reactivated when the handset is out of range. These types of
systems require after market and voluntary installation, and
additional capital outlay.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments will now be described in greater detail with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a wireless device with feature controls
within a wireless network;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of a wireless device with feature controls
within a geographic area within a wireless network;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method of controlling features of a
wireless device within the wireless network of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of controlling features of a
wireless device within the wireless network of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for initialising
a wireless device within a WAN where geographic feature controls
apply;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of periodically checking the
position of a wireless device within a WAN where geographic feature
controls apply;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method of idle handoff from one segment
of a wireless network to another segment of a wireless network in
which geographic feature controls apply;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of active hand-off from one
wireless network to another wireless network where geographic
feature controls apply;
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an exemplary bounding box scenario at
an airport; and
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing feature control using bounding
boxes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present application provides a method comprising: a wireless
device receiving a message from a wireless network indicating that
a feature control applies in a geographic area; the wireless device
determining that the wireless device is in the geographic area; and
the wireless device applying the feature control to a feature on
the wireless device.
The present application further provides a method comprising: a
wireless device receiving instructions to apply a feature control
to a feature on the wireless device if it connects to a wireless
network, said wireless network defined by a geographic area; and
the wireless device applying the feature control to the feature
upon connecting to the wireless network.
The present application further provides a system comprising: a
wireless network defining a geographic area, said wireless network
configured to send a message to a wireless device indicating that a
feature control applies in the wireless network; the wireless
device configured to determine that the wireless device is in the
wireless network, to receive the message from the wireless network,
and to apply the feature control to the feature.
The present application further provides a system comprising: a
wireless network configured to send a message to a wireless device
indicating that a feature control applies in a geographic area; the
wireless device configured to receive the message from the wireless
network, to determine that the wireless device is within the
geographic area and to apply the feature control to the
feature.
Other aspects and features will become apparent, to those
ordinarily skilled in the art, upon review of the following
description of the specific embodiments of the invention.
The inappropriate use of wireless device features, such as
application capabilities in certain geographic areas, currently
cannot be prevented by anything other than physical means. It is
desirable that the feature of a wireless device be controllable at
the wireless network level.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a wireless network 100 which covers smaller
and well defined a geographic area. A wireless device 102 is shown
within the area of the wireless network 100. The wireless device
102 has feature F.sub.i 104, where i=1 to n and n is a total number
of features, which can be controlled within the wireless network
100. Also shown are base stations 110, 112, 114 through which the
wireless device 102 communicates with the wireless network 100.
Three base stations are shown. However, various embodiments can
have any number of base stations.
In operation, the wireless device 102 contains instructions that a
feature control applies to feature F.sub.i 104 while in the
geographic area of the wireless network 100 and the wireless device
will apply that control while it is in the geographic area of the
wireless network 100. In some embodiments, the wireless device 102
receives instructions from the wireless network 100 through a base
station 110, 112 or 114 upon entering the geographic area of the
wireless network 100 to control feature F.sub.i 104.
In some embodiments the wireless network is a LAN (Local Area
Network).
Since LANs are inherently a geographically local network, once a
LAN is entered, the LAN itself may implement End User feature
controls at the LAN packet data protocol level for wherever the
wireless device is in that LAN's coverage. An example is where a
military 802.11 campus network would deny camera phone usage while
in that 802.11 network's coverage. In another embodiment, the
wireless device 102 has a database with a list of which features
controls to apply in a list of LANs, cellular networks, etc., and
the feature controls are applied automatically on entering the LAN,
cellular network, etc. In the LAN embodiment the feature controls
are linked to an SID (System Identifier) of the LAN in some
embodiments. The Service Set Identifier (SSID) used in the IEEE
802.11 wireless local area network standards is one example of a
SID. This list may be provisioned by a wireless operator via a
different bearer path or configured before the device is sold and
could subsequently be controlled by over the air messages or taking
the device to have it changed somewhere. An example is dual mode
802.xx/cellular devices, where the wireless operator configures the
LAN vs. feature control list.
Examples of features 104 that can be controlled are: a transmitter
that can be turned on or off; ringer volume that can be adjusted;
and a camera that can be enabled or disabled.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of a wireless network 200 within which a
geographic area 220 is shown. A wireless device 202 is shown within
the geographic area 220. The wireless device 202 has feature
F.sub.i 204, where i=1 to n and n a total number of features, which
can be controlled while the wireless device is within the
geographic area 220 based on instructions from the wireless network
200. Also shown are base stations 210, 212, 214 through which the
wireless device communicates with the wireless network. Three base
stations are shown.
However, various embodiments can have any number of base
stations.
In operation, the wireless device 202 receives a message from the
wireless is network 200 through a base station 210, 212 or 214
indicating that a feature control applies to feature F.sub.i 204
within the geographic area 220. When the wireless device 202 enters
into the geographic area 220, it applies the feature control.
The wireless device 202 uses any position/location technology
available to determine whether it is in the geographic area 220.
Non-GPS (Global Positioning System) based technologies include AFLT
(Advanced Forward Link Trilateration) in CDMA (Code Division
Multiple Access) and E-OTD(Enhanced Observed Time Difference) in
GSM. The wireless device may be able to compute the location by
itself or it can send the measurements to the wireless network 200
which computes the location. Other possibilities include
stand-alone GPS, where the wireless device locates itself by using
its own stand-alone GPS receiver without any assistance from the
wireless network and A-GPS (Assisted GPS), where the wireless
network assists the wireless device 202 to perform GPS search in
order to have a quick time to fix location. A-GPS technology has
become mandatory within the United States due to Federal
Communications Commission's (FCC) requirements on location accuracy
during emergency calls. In some embodiments this technology is used
by the wireless device 202 to determine accurately (defined in FCC
(US Federal Communications Commission) requirements) the latitude,
longitude, and height of the wireless device 202. This information
is then used by the wireless device 202 to control feature F.sub.i
204 based on geographic location. The Location Services feature of
CDMA is defined is TIA IS801, which is herein incorporated by
reference.
In 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project for W-CDMA (GSM)),
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)and GERAN (3GPP TSG
(Technical Specification Group) for GSM/EDGE (Enhanced Data-rates
for GSM Evolution) RAN (Radio Access Network))support E-OTD, UMTS
(Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) uses OTDOA (Observed
Time Difference Of Arrival) and GERAN uses U-TDOA (Uplink Time
Difference of Arrival), and all access technologies support cell
coverage based positioning method and GPS positioning method. The
Location Services feature of GSM and UMTS is defined in the 3GPP is
Technical Specification 23.271, which is herein incorporated by
reference.
In a further embodiment, the wireless device can use the cell
identifier (cellid) to identifying a geographical area.
Other positioning technology can also be used. For example, GALILEO
is a positioning standard that may be used in place of GPS. The
present application is not meant to be limited by the positioning
technology used.
In some embodiments the wireless network 200 is a wireless WAN
(Wide Area Network). By way of example, a packet data enabled
cellular network can be considered a WAN.
In another embodiment, a wireless device that is capable of both
WAN and LAN connections can have a feature control that restricts
access to certain LANs. Each LAN is a geographical area 230 that
may be roamed to from the wireless network 200. The wireless device
102 has an account with the wireless WAN with an account profile
that causes signaling from the wireless WAN over a signaling
channel to the wireless device indicating that the wireless device
is only permitted to connect to certain LANs with certain feature
controls. In this embodiment, any type of WAN or LAN is possible.
For example, the WAN can be 1 XRTT and the LAN can be 802.11.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method of implementing feature controls
in the wireless network 100 of FIG. 1. The method begins with the
wireless device 102 receiving information indicating that a feature
control applies to feature F.sub.i 104 within the geographic area
of the wireless network (Step 3-2). In some embodiments the
information is in the form of a database, as discussed above, that
is transferred to the wireless device on initialisation. This
database could further be updated over time, with data added to or
deleted from it. Next, the wireless device 102 determines that if
the wireless device 102 is in the geographic area of the wireless
network 100 (Step 3-4). In some embodiments this determining is
achieved by the wireless device 102 receiving a SSID from a LAN is
and cross-referencing the SSID against a list of SSIDs in a
database on the wireless device 102. Next, the wireless device 102
applies the feature control to feature F.sub.i 104 (Step 3-6). In
one embodiment, camera use may be prohibitted in a LAN, so the
feature control to be applied would be to turn the camera feature
off while in the area of the LAN.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of controlling features F.sub.i
204 within the geographic area 220 within the wireless network 200
of FIG. 2. The method begins with the wireless device 202 roaming
into network segment 220 and receiving a protocol level message
from the wireless network 200 indicating that a feature control is
to be applied within the broader geographic network segment 220.
The protocol level message includes precisely defined geographic
coordinates that are within network segment 220 (Step 4-2). This
network segment 220 may be a cellular basestation, a sector, larger
entities 3GPP2 entities such as registration zones and packets
zones, larger 3GPP entities such as Routing Areas and Location
Areas, or any other such similar operator defined divisions. In
some embodiments, this message is part of a system configuration
message sent on a control or beacon channel. Next, the wireless
device 202 determines if the wireless device 202 is within the
precisely defined geographic area 220 (Step 4-4). Any position
location techonology may be used. If the wireless device 202 is in
the geographic area 220 and within the precisely defined geographic
coordinates, the feature control is applied to the feature F.sub.i
204 (Step 4-6). If the wireless device 202 is not within the
precisely defined geographic coordinates within the geographic area
220, the method ends. This method can be repeated periodically, as
the wireless device 202 moves from one geographic area to
another.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the initialisation of a wireless device
with geographic feature controls within a wireless WAN. In the
first step the wireless device acquires the system (Step 5-2). This
includes receiving a configuration message from the wireless WAN.
In some embodiments the configuration message is sent on a control
or beacon channel. The configuration message will indicate whether
or not feature controls are to be applied (Step 54). If no feature
controls are indicated in the configuration message, feature
controls on the wireless device are cleared (Step 5-6).
If feature controls are indicated in the configuration message, the
wireless device will acquire feature control information for each
feature that may be controlled from the wireless WAN (Step 5-8).
Alternatively, the feature control could already be stored in the
wireless device. In some embodiments, the feature control
information includes the feature name F.sub.i, where i=1 to n and n
is the total number of features, feature control, co-ordinates of
area where the feature control applies with some accuracy (for
example, latitude and longitude and an error radius) and
algorithms. Examples of algorithms include algorithms to deal with
a cell smaller that the accuracy, hysteris or out of coverage
behaviour. In some embodiments, the feature control information is
received via a broadcast SMS (Short Message Service) which sends
the information to all wireless devices on a particular control
channel. In other embodiments, the wireless device gets the feature
availability information over an IP connection. One embodiment this
could be PPP/PDP (Point-to-Point Protocol/Packet Data Protocol) as
IP (Internet Protocol) transport. Another embodiment could be a
propritary protocol.
Next, the wireless device will determine a current position of the
wireless device (Step 5-10). This is done using any available
position location technology, such as those discussed above with
reference to FIG. 2. The wireless device will then check to see if
feature F.sub.i is controlled at the current position (Step 5-12).
If the feature is not controlled, the wireless device will check
the next feature until all of the features have been checked (i.e.
until i=n) (Step 5-16). If the feature F.sub.i is controlled at the
current position, the feature control is applied by the wireless
device (Step 5-14) and the next feature is checked until all of the
features have been checked.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of periodically checking the
position and control features of the wireless device within a WAN
after the initialisation of FIG. 5 has been completed. First the
wireless device finds the current position of the wireless device
(Step 6-2). The wireless device will then check to see if feature
F.sub.i is controlled at the current position (Step 6-4). If the
feature is not controlled, the wireless device will check the next
feature until all of the features have been checked (i.e. until
i=n) (Step 6-8). If the feature F.sub.i is controlled at the
current position, the feature control is applied by the wireless
device (Step 6-6) and the next feature is checked until all of the
features have been checked. Once all of the features have been
checked, the wireless device will wait until it is programmed to
check the position again (Step 6-10). The wireless device will then
determine if the wireless device is still in the wireless WAN (Step
6-12) and if so the wireless device will repeat the above steps
starting at Step 6-2. If the wireless device is no longer in the
WAN the method ends.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an idle hand-off of a wireless device from
one wireless WAN to another wireless WAN (for example PPP or PDP
established, but no data being transferred) where geographic
feature controls are to be applied. The method starts with the
wireless device waking up from a sleep state (Step 7-2). Next, the
wireless device checks to see if a system configuration for a
change indicating that the wireless device has entered a new
segment of the wireless WAN (Step 74). If there is no change, the
wireless device will go back to sleep (Step 7-6). If there has been
a system change, the wireless device will check.to see if the
feature controls are different from those currently applied (Step
7-8). If the feature controls are the same as those from the
previous wireless WAN, the wireless device will go back to sleep.
If the feature controls have changed the wireless device will
continue with the steps of FIG. 5, starting at point B. In some
embodiments, changes in the feature controls are tracked by storing
a feature control sequence number on the wireless device.
Therefore, at step 7-8, the wireless device would only need to
check if the feature control sequence number is different and would
not need to check each feature control.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an active hand-off (for example actively
transferring data in a call) of a wireless device with geographic
feature controls from one wireless WAN to another wireless WAN. The
method starts with the wireless device finding a new wireless WAN
segment (e.g. a BTS ) (Step 8-2).
The wireless device will then check to see if any feature controls
are currently in place (Step 8-4). If there are any feature
controls in place, the wireless device will clear the feature
controls (Step 8-6) and then proceed with the steps of FIG. 5
starting at point A. If there were no feature controls in place
from the previous WAN, the wireless device will proceed with the
steps of FIG. 5 starting at point A.
Reference is now made to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment
of the present method and system in which bounding boxes are used
to identify various areas within which the mobile device can or
cannot be used. For example, as seen in FIG. 9A, the runway of an
airport can be considered to be an area where communication should
be disabled. In this case, runway 910 could be considered a "red
zone" and the featured control of the present method and system
could ensure that communication is disabled from the mobile device
when in the zone.
Other airport grounds, designated using reference numeral 912,
could be considered to be a "yellow zone". In these areas, a user
may or may not be able to use the mobile device. Specifically, if
the user is going from a red zone into a yellow zone, the mobile
device feature control will prohibit the user from communicating or
using a specific feature in that zone.
The terminal building in FIG. 9A, designated using reference
numeral 914, could be considered a "green zone". The feature
control would allow features to be used within the green zone.
Further, if a mobile device moves from the green zone into the
yellow zone then the features are still enabled within the yellow
zone.
Referring to FIG. 9B, a bounding box view of the trigger zones is
shown.
In this case, box 916, marked "Error" shows a region around the
mobile device in which the mobile device could be located. As will
be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the size of box 916
will depend on the accuracy available for the geographic location
determination for the mobile device. If any portion of the box 916
enters a "red zone", then feature controls will disable various
features based on the requirements of the red zone. Various
algorithms that would be known to those skilled in the art could be
used for this, including collision detection algorithms to
determine when box 916 collides with a zone.
Reference is now made to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 illustrates the concept
of bounding boxes with regard to both the network and the mobile
device.
Specifically, the network could include location services 1010 to
provide the mobile device with a location. Further, mobility
management 1012 occurs on the network side and could include, for
example, cell changes, packet zone changes or other mobility
criteria that would be known to those skilled in the art.
The mobile device includes a mobility module 1014 that communicates
with mobility management 1012 and this mobility module can change
the location identification 1016 of the mobile device. The location
identification can be provided from location services 1010, or
alternatively from a location module such as a GPS module 1018 as
identified in FIG. 10.
In one embodiment, mobility management module 1012 triggers feature
services 1030. Specifically, when a mobile device changes cells or
packets, for example, then features and geographical locations in
which those features are restricted could be loaded to the mobile
device at that time. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the
art, this will save resources required for storing features and
geographical locations on the mobile device. The mobile device will
need to only hold the feature services and geographic information
for a particular cell.
Feature services 1030 use a geographic information system to
identify which features are allowed and not allowed in various
bounding boxes. Geographic information system 1032 could be updated
through either feature service subscribers and/or regulatory
bodies. For example, in the case of airports the federal aviation
administration may restrict where certain services or features on a
mobile device are allowed to be used. In alternative embodiments,
subscribers to mobile services may wish to restrict certain
features on their premises. For example, a movie theatre may wish
to restrict the use of voice calls in any of its theatres. A gym
may wish to restrict the use of camera features in the changing
room areas or even in the entire gym complex. As will be
appreciated, these feature service subscribers can pay a fee to a
carrier to ensure that these features are restricted in these
areas. This feature service subscriber information is shown in FIG.
10 as box 1034.
On the mobile device, once the mobile device knows its location, a
State Machine 1050 can be used on the mobile device to determine
whether a feature can be used. In State Machine 1050, if the mobile
device is in a green zone it will be in a feature-on state 1052. If
the mobile device then moves into a yellow zone, as illustrated by
arrow 1054, the feature stays on. However, if the mobile device
moves into a red zone as illustrated by arrow 1056, the mobile
device moves to state 1058 in which the feature is turned off.
From state 1058, if the mobile device moves into a yellow zone, as
depicted by arrow 1060 the feature remains off. However, if the
mobile device moves into a green zone as depicted by arrow 1062 the
feature turns back on in state 1052.
As illustrated in FIG. 10, state machine 1050 controls the feature
1065 and determines whether the feature 1065 is on or off.
Since the location may not be known precisely, an error box 1070
can be calculated for the mobile device and this error box can be
used to compare to bounding boxes 1075 to see if any portion of the
error box enters into a feature control area.
Feature bounding boxes 1075 are updated from the network through
feature services module 1030 and can be changed whenever the mobile
device changes cells, packet zones or performs other mobility
changes.
Various algorithms can be used to detect whether the error box 1070
crosses into a feature control area in feature bounding boxes 1075.
These could include a collision detection algorithm or a voronoi
algorithm, among others. As will be appreciated by those skilled in
the art, the above notion of bounding boxes allows feature control
when imprecise knowledge of the location is available.
Specifically, since the mobile device cannot know exactly where it
is but can only define where it is based on an error box 1070, if
this error box crosses into a boundary where feature control is
either required due to regulation or desired by a service
subscriber, the mobile device can prevent the feature from being
used in that area.
In one embodiment, the mobile device could include an indicator
that can be shown to a feature service subscriber to allow the
mobile device to enter into an area. For example, a gym may
restrict bringing cell phones into the change rooms unless the cell
phone has a specific symbol indicating that it incorporates feature
controls.
Various other examples of geographic wireless device feature
control are: 1. Camera/real time video phones useage in private
locations, such as the homes of wealthy or famous individuals
looking for privacy, or public locations such as fitness centres,
manufacturing floors, r&d labs etc. etc., and government
locations, such as courts, hospitals, legislatures, defence
establishments, law enforcement premises etc.; 2. Ringer
adjustment, such as forcing discreet ringer volume in funerals or
theatres and loud ringer volume in train stations and large public
venues; 3. Disabling a phone's transmitter while in a resticted
area such as on a tarmac in a plane or in a hospital; 4. Disabling
or enabling any or all of voice/data/sms entirely within a
geographic locale. For instance, if data capacity in a cell is very
high, the carrier network may `allow` only reduced rate modem
service; and 5. Law enforcement applications such as geographic
traps for `bad` guys. For example, a target `bad` guy subscriber
enters a geographic trap area, such as a traffic bottle neck , like
a highway, where there is a high likelyhood of target bad guys
passing through a particular BTSs (Base Transceiver System) sector.
The carrier network sends a broadcast message to all phones to do
an exact position locate and secretly sends exact coordinates to
the law enforcement agency on an ongoing basis. The positions of
`Bad` guys are thus identified in this trap.
In some embodiments, fields in the messages sent to the wireless
devices by the wireless networks are sets including: a standardised
field indicating the version of the protocol being used; optionally
a length indicator byte; a standardised byte to indicate end user
`features restricted`;
a byte for a `geo control flag` against each feature above to turn
on or off; `geographic coordinates` for each restricted end user
features turned on; `accuracy` code for each restricted end user
features, representing a radius around the latitude and longitude
that applies to restrict the feature. For A-GPS, a PDE (Position
Determining Entity) provides the wireless device with some info
about location uncertainty e.g. uncertainty in angle of axis with
respect to True North. Similarly, the wireless device also includes
its perceived errors such aspseudorange RMS (Root Mean Square)
errorin the pseudorange measurement message to the PDE. These
factors along with the number of GPS satellites seen by the
wireless device, the, signal strength of each GPS satellite etc,
can be taken into account to assess the location accuracy at the
wireless device prior to making a decision; `algorithms` which
define a number of methods per disabled feature used by the phone
to handle the restricted feature when network conditions alter.
For example, phone handoff in sectors smaller than the accuracy;
conflicted settings in adjacent sectors with overlapping
`accuracy`; hysteresis of setting after handoff or before observing
new feature control from the network; out of coverage behavior
after receiving a feature control from the network (enable
feature/keep disabled); allow mobile override of feature control
(e.g. CDMA mobiles configured with certain Access Overload Class
that can override any network control); and in cases where the GPS
receiver is distinct from WAN/LAN receiver or in cases where a
receiver may remain `on` while a transmitter can be turned `off`, a
device may be provided with preloaded coordinates that the device
can use to turn the feature back on without a requirement for aid
from the position determination entity or without the aid for
intensive computation.
In some embodiments the wireless device has extra instructions in
its executable file to implement the methods described above.
In some embodiments the geographical area does not necessarily
require wireless coverage. For example, a basement gym may not have
wireless network coverage. If a wireless device can act as a
stand-alone GPS receiver without assistance from wireless network,
once the wireless device computes a radial zone identified by
latitude/longitude/height and radius, about a geographical area in
which feature controls apply, while in coverage, the wireless
device can use that information.
In another embodiment, certain features are automatically turned
off if a certain condition is met. For example, a GPS fix is not
possible and there is no wireless network coverage. This is
effectively a negative implementation where the wireless device has
been signalled to only turn off the feature when the condition is
met. Other examples of conditions are the wireless device is no
longer in RF coverage, or the wireless device is within particular
geographic coordinates.
In a multimode air interface device, different modes of controlling
features in geographic areas can be provided on the device.
TABLE-US-00001 Feature GPS GSM/GPRS WLAN CDMA2000 Camera
Co-ordinates CellID Broadcast SSID cellID (etc.)
The embodiments described above can be implemented on any channel
or bearer path of communication. Examples of channel/bearer paths
that can be used follow.
In CDMA the system parameter message (3GPP2, C.S0005-C_V.0
2.6.2.2.1. System Parameters Message) mandates wireless devices to
store a variety of parameters, including base station latitude and
longitude. There is also an optional feature called "User Zone"
that identifies an area within which tiered is Services may be
provided in a CDMA network. These parameters can be sent over a
control channel or via an in-band signaling message on the traffic
channel.
There are also proposals for `Tracking Zones`.
There are mainly three types of location determination techniques
in CDMA. These are i) A-GPS via PDE; ii) AFLT based on received
pilots from base stations; and iii) hybrid of AGPS and AFLT. In
some embodiments the wireless network provides notification to the
wireless device where it will track it's own location and turn
off/on features when geographically appropriate. In some
embodiments this notification is SID wide. IS-801, herein
incorporated by reference, defines messaging of location services
in the form of Data Burst Messages as the transport. Same data
burst messages can be exchanged over IP transport during a packet
data call.
In GSM the Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) or GPRS General Packet
Radio Service) PBCCH (Packet Broadcast Control Channel) are used to
broadcast cell specific information to the wireless device. This
may include Latitude/Longitude of the Base Station. Also supported
in GSM is the E-OTD positioning method, GPS positioning method and
cell coverage positioning method. Also, USSD (Unstructured
Supplementary Service Data) is a network/terminal feature that
could be triggered when the terminal enters a specific area. Here,
the wireless network will actually target the wireless device.
Alternatively, the wireless device could solicit information from
the wireless network using the USSD feature to ask what it should
do. This might be useful if there is no location information
available from GPS or A-GPS but you can still get service. For
example, an in-building solution where there are pico cells but you
can't see any GPS satellites. USSD could be also be implemented on
a private wireless corporate network.
Wireless Mulitcast/Broadcast IP messages can also be used. Within
3GPP and 3GPP2 compliant standards, standards have been developed
for subscription based IP broadcast and IP multicast services. IP
broadcast is designed for broadcast of IP packets in small
geographic areas, and the standard is built up to determine when
small geographic areas are entered. A good example is entering a
mall, people that are signed up for the broadcast service would
receive streams of data trying to sell them something. In some
embodiments a wireless device that support this standard may have a
default subscription profile created for "Geographically Network
Triggered Mobile Phone Feature Disablement". The infrastructure
would perform IP broadcast to all subscribers in these small
geographic areas, sending protocol level messages that are
implemented according to the methods described above. These
messages could implement IETF (Internet Engineering Taskforce)
Vendor Specific Messages, such as RFC2153 PPP Vendor Extensions.
Other RFCs (Requests for Comments) exist that can establish similar
goals, depending on the protocol used. Within LAN (802.11) capable
wireless devices, the LAN may apply feature controls at the pure IP
application level, rather than the protocol level. An example is a
WiFi network notification of what features are allowed on a dual
WiFi/Cellular wireless device, covering only the case of entering a
campus environment. A further example is a campus intranet, having
a server to send the wireless device an indication of which
features to turn off.
Altematively, a normal data connection to an application on the
wireless device that is specifically for determining the wireless
device's location can be used, illustrating an application level
implementation. For example in GPRS the wireless network
establishes or the wireless device establishes a PDP Context
between an application on the wireless device and a server
providing LCS (Location Services) information. The application
downloads the co-ordinates of the mobile based on Cell-Id or one of
the other available positioning methods.
In CDMA, the fields of the message with feature control information
can be sent over the paging channel in the form of sector-wide
system overhead message. In addition, these field can also be sent
using point-to-point SMS or broadcast SMSA Service Category field
in Broadcast SMS (IS-637) can be enhanced to provide information
about "Restricted Zones and Services". In effect, extending service
category assignments is analogous to an application level
implementation over IP.
Altematively, the feature control information can be included in
one of the current sector-wide overhead messages on the relevant
channels, such as PCH (paging channel) and BCCH. There will be a
problem with PCS implementation that may not be palatable to base
station folks. Usually, the size of fixed overhead messages is
known, and the BTS paging scheduler operates based on that to
decide when it can schedule mobile-specific messages. If it is
dynamic, then it becomes complex.
It is preferable to use the above described methods and apparatus
in a standards based network approach (e.g. 3GPP2/3GPP/OMA (Open
Mobile Alliance)) for a mandatory wireless device feature that
`listens` to network instructions regarding what features are
`allowed` in particular geographic locations. Users would have no
choice in whether the feature controls are applied, and physical
locations would only need to subscribe to the service with their
service provider, thus requiring no physical equipment. To be an
effective `undefeatable` feature, embodiments must be part of the
signalling for the air interface technology.
In other embodiments, it is possible to implement the methods
described above by adding software to the wireless device and
without changing communication standards. For example an IP
multi-cast or IP broadcast can be used.
There is also a revenue opportunity for wireless carriers. For
example, an enterprise (for example a fitness club) could subscribe
with a wireless carrier so that, within the enterprise's geographic
location, the wireless carrier guarantees to turn off camera
phones. The enterprise would pay a monthly fee for the service.
What has been described is merely illustrative of the application
of the principles of the invention. Other arrangements and methods
can be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
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